Birding report 15th June 25 Wadi Sheez UAE
Birding Blog Summary – Wadi Shees
Date: 15 June 2025 | Time: 1:54 AM
Duration: 3 hours | Distance Covered: 15 km | Type: Traveling Survey
Species Recorded: 16
Wadi Shees – A Desert Oasis Full of Surprises
Tucked within the rugged Hajar Mountains, Wadi Shees delivered a wonderfully diverse birding session with 16 species recorded across varied habitats including rocky slopes, cultivated patches, and water channels.
Highlights of the Day:
5 Sand Partridge – Vocal and active at dawn, offering excellent views along the rocky hillsides.
A Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse was the star sighting, seen briefly near a shaded wadi – a rarely encountered and highly prized desert specialist.
Arabian Green Bee-eaters and Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters were spotted hawking insects, lighting up the landscape with their vivid colors.
A single Hume’s Wheatear perched prominently on a boulder – a typical resident of high desert terrain.
Striolated Bunting made a welcome appearance, foraging low near scrubby vegetation.
Other Notables:
The presence of both White-eared and White-spectacled Bulbuls highlighted the area’s transition between Arabian and Levantine zones.
A lone Gray Heron and Eurasian Moorhen indicated nearby water sources in the wadi’s lush lower areas.
Colorful and charismatic Indian Rollers added flair to the morning skies.
Summary:
Wadi Shees once again proved to be a rich and scenic birding site, with a balanced mix of desert, wadi, and oasis-dwelling species. The encounter with Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse was particularly special, underscoring the sanctuary-like quality of this remote corner of the UAE for both resident and passage birds.
